Playing USF in 2009....Fuggedaboutit

Get ready to scratch off the USF/Tampa Bulls from the 2009 FIU schedule this upcoming season. Your Panthers are in negotiations with Rutgers to schedule a home-and-home series with the Scarlet Knights beginning this coming September with a game in the Tony Soprano land of New Jersey. FIU would play at Rutgers in the third game of this coming season replacing the Bulls on the sked.

Rutgers then would be FIU's season opening opponent on September 11, 2010 at FIU Stadium. It would be MC vs. his former boss Greg Schiano. This series could become a 4-game set with 2 home games for each team. Stay tuned on that. Right now it is a 1-home-and-1-home game deal.

Nice deal for FIU, because of the ton of FIU alumni in the New York/New Jersey area and USF supposedly was only offering $200,000 for FIU to drive up to Tampa this coming September.

Plus, USF has said they no longer want to play any Florida school that is not Florida, Florida State or um. The Bulls dropped the series with Central Florida and now FIU is getting ready to drop USF.

Will have more on this scheduling change as the story develops in the coming days.

After making some phone calls today here are some recruiting updates for you starving GPPers:

Down to 2 schools for Larvez Mars and heard that all of Mars's family wants the linebacker to stay in Florida and play for FIU. The Mars family says the honey is sweeter in Miami than Ames, Iowa for Pooh Bear.

Quavon Taylor (below, left) is interested in returning back to Miami and playing for FIU. We could see the former Northwestern star joining former Bulls/current FIUers: Anthony Gaitor, Kenny Dillard and Wayne Times this fall, although he would probably have to sit out a season, because of NCAA transfer rules. Nothing official yet on Q becoming a Panther but it looks like it.

Doesn't look like Daquan Hargrett is going to change his mind from West Virginia to FIU. But one season in Morgantown where the highlight of the area is visiting the Henry Clay Iron Furnace, might be enough to have anyone longing for home, especially with WVU bringing in those 2 big running backs ahead of DH. Like new FIU defensive back Terrance Taylor said the other day: "This is a new and improved FIU". And a lot of these recruits that leave for what may be greener pastures eventually find their way home.

PANTHERPAWSE

FIUBlueandGold: Have you heard where they project to use McGee at ?

PP: Looking like a DB.

pikedanny: Pete: Are they any plans to spruce up the Baseball Stadium a little bit?